Soapnuts

A washing detergent that grows on trees…literally. Planetkind organic soapnuts are sustainably (sun dried) produced and environmentally friendly. They are bio-degradable and compostable.

Sopanuts (sapindus mukorossi) are grown wild in India for centuries. They have been used for many purposes including removing tarnish from jewellery. They are widely recognised as being an effective and environmentally friendly natural detergent. Soapnuts can also be used for a whole host of other uses.

Soapnuts contain the active natural washing ingredient saponin. Saponin is released when the shells of the soapnut come in contact with water and suds are produced. These are excellent for cleaning laundry and leaving it beautifully soft.

They are especially good for colours because they don’t contain any whiteners or brightners. Your colours will stay coloured for longer. Just pop 6-8 shells into a cotton bag (provided) and place in your washing machine.

Soapnuts for Cloth Nappies

Traditional detergents and softeners can have a detrimental effect on both the effectiveness of cloth nappies and on your baby’s skin.

Traditional fabric softeners work by leaving a thin film on fibres which can decrease absorption within cloth nappies (causing leakage) As nappies are so absorbent they are more prone than other fibres to a buildup of this residue. Soapnut shells contain plant-based saponin (surfactant). Soapnuts act similar to a detergent when it comes to laundry. This means there is little to no residue. Soapnuts can even remove residue buildup left by other products.

When you use soap nuts you don’t need softeners. Soapnuts gently loosen fibres during the washing and drying process. This together with any light residue of saponin left behind from washing have the combined effect of softening the laundry.

As they don’t contain any dyes,fragrances, enzymes or additives that can contribute to the deterioration or wear/tear on nappies they really are a nappy-friendly solution to washing and softening cloth nappies.

Chemicals found in many commercially-sold detergents can worsen conditions such as eczema and psoriasis in areas where the fabric comes into contact with your baby’s skin. Planetkind USDA certified organic soapnuts do not contain toxins that could harm your baby. Soapnuts don’t produce a lot of suds like other detergents. The amount of foam does not represent the cleaning power. Yet, your washing will be fresh and clean!